FTY720 Drug Potentially Promising Therapeutic Agent for Mesothelioma

A newly published study by cancer researchers in Hawaii suggest that a drug derived from a fungal metabolite of the Chinese herb Iscaria sinclarii triggers cell death in mesothelioma tumors. Though the drug, known as FTY720, is approved for multiple sclerosis treatment, per the study, “it has recently raised attention for its anti-tumor activity in a variety of cancers.”

The research team, which includes renowned thoracic surgeon Harvey I. Pass, evaluated cell viability and anchorage–independent growth in a panel of malignant mesothelioma (MM) cell lines and human mesothelial cells (HM) upon FTY720 treatment to assess in vitro anti-tumor ability. “Signaling and activation of programmed cell death were evaluated by immunoblotting [a technique for analyzing or identifying proteins in a mixture] and flow cytometry [technology employed in cell counting, cell sorting, biomarker detection and protein engineering]. A syngeneic mouse model was used to evaluate anti-tumor efficacy and toxicity profile of FTY720 in vivo.”

The researchers found that FTY720 “significantly suppressed MM cell viability and anchorage–independent growth without affecting normal HM cells.” The drug “promoted AKT dephosphorylation and Bcl-2 degradation,” which led to induction of programmed cell death. In addition, tumor burden was effectively reduced without apparent toxicity.

In conclusion, the team wrote, “our preclinical data indicate that FTY720 is a potentially promising therapeutic agent for MM treatment.”